1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for drying metal surfaces using a drying agent containing gaseous hydrides to inhibit moisture adsorption thereon and for removing adsorbed moisture from the metal surfaces.
2. Description of the Background
Moisture is one of the major impurities in gases, and also appears to play a significant role in causing undesirable changes in gaseous concentrations. This is, in particular, a problem with electronic specialty gases stored in compressed gas cylinders.
Additionally, adsorbed moisture also plays a major role in promoting metal surface corrosion.
At present, the conventional wisdom entails removing moisture by purging or baking out the same. However, it has not been previously known that moisture also has a negative impact on the stability of hydrides. Further, although the deleterious effect of corrosive gases on metal surfaces has been generally recognized, the conventional approach to this problem has been to simply purge or bake out the same.
Thus, a need continues to exist for a metal surface treatment which either eliminates, or at least reduces, the deleterious effects of metal surfaces which have been exposed to moisture or corrosive gases on certain gases and gas mixtures which are susceptible to reacting with moisture on the metal surface.